“I was shocked,” says a resident of the Leemkuijlen in Geldrop who could not believe her eyes. Rail manager ProRail has ‘suddenly’ almost all the trees and bushes in addition to part of the track. The neighborhood is disappointed, because the greenery was displayed on the view of the trains passing by. Salient detail: Thirteen years ago, the same prorail hood in Geldrop also caused a lot of hassle. The rail manager has immediately shut down the pruning work.
Tanja Weijers doesn’t understand it at all. And with her a number of worried local residents who also come to take a look on Tuesday morning. “To our great surprise and anger, ProRail started a stroke on Monday,” says the resident.
Since Tuesday morning she ‘guarded’ a piece of green on a chair that is still on the nomination to be tackled. “They just pulled it completely empty. Bush for bush, the whole side is just gone to the ground. And there are also trees half sawn down.”
“The cover of the view of the track has disappeared.”
The pruned branches and tree stumps are stacked in mountains on the edge of the footpath along the track. Ready to be removed. “It is completely bare now. The cover of the view of the track has disappeared. And not unimportant: the biodiversity. There are many birds and squirrels here. They also have their habitat here. I understand if the trees are a danger For the track, but I don’t think that’s the case here. “
ProRail’s action is remarkable. Thirteen years ago it happened almost the same at the same place in Geldrop. Then ProRail sawed different trees along the track. Two action committees were protested at the time. With success: the hood was stopped.
“I thought on Monday: we’re going there again.”
At the time, agreements were made between ProRail, the municipality and local residents about a number of trees that were allowed to remain. Some bushes were pruned alone. The rail manager also promised to refill bare spots.
“Those topped bushes would be up to date after a year. Well, that in the end took eight years before everything was completely closed again. That is all gone again. I thought on Monday: we’re going there again. There we have that at the time Farted with the entire neighborhood.
ProRail is responsible for the rail verges and locks. In a response, the rail manager announces that maintenance is being carried out because the ditch would have grown closely next to the track. A diver (tube underground) would also be hidden. “To be able to reach the ditch properly and to be able to carry out the work, pruning work is required. It is emphatically intended that only that is pruned what is necessary to be able to achieve the Spoorloot for maintenance.”
According to the rail manager, it was not necessary to announce the work in advance, since it was cut down on ProRail soil. In the second instance, the rail manager thinks differently. “ProRail acknowledges that communication about the work, also in view of the history, should have taken place in the environment. Unfortunately, this did not happen.”
The caps and pruning work were immediately stopped on Tuesday morning after reports from the neighborhood. The rail manager will now first investigate which agreements were made at the time. “This work will only be resumed if it has been sorted out what, but especially whether the pruning work has not been carried out according to agreements.”
